The next morning at breakfast, the pair made plans to begin Severus' reintroduction to water. Hermione suggested that they begin with simple hand washing. She also suggested they find a place that was as unlike the original scene as possible so there would be no bad memories to associate with the action, but she was adamant that it also be in a place he was familiar and comfortable with. Severus suggested his lab and Hermione agreed.
The couple entered his lab and sat on two stools, side by side. She conjured a clear basin, flannel, soap and a towel to dry his hands on.
"I want you to fill the basin with water, but not with magic." Severus stared at the basin, agitation clearly showing on his face. Being careful not to touch him so that he would not associate the water and touch as something horrifying—no matter how gentle her touch—she said, "It's just a basin of water, Severus, you're very safe here. You simply can't fit in it. I will stand on the other side of the table so that there is no way I could grab you." She stood and walked around the table.
"Now, go and turn the tap on; you've done it before when you needed water for the base of potions. In fact, why don't you fill a beaker with water, just like you're starting a potion?" she suggested. "That is something very familiar to you."
Severus reached to a shelf above the sink where empty beakers stood. "You are correct, Hermione; this is something I do all the time and have no problem with it." What he did not tell her was that he usually wore gloves when filling any beaker with water to avoid getting wet, so while he might have spoken confidently, he was a bundle of nerves. Taking a deep breath, he quickly filled the beaker and returned to the table.
"All right, now pour the water into the basin just as though it were a cauldron."
Although Severus sneered at the child-like tone in her voice, he did as she instructed. "There, the water is in."
"Okay," Hermione said. "Now you should probably turn your cuffs up so you don't get them wet. Once you've done that, I want you to just set your hands on the side of the basin. Don't put your hands in yet."
Severus slowly turned up his cuffs up. Hermione could see the trepidation in his face and his hands were shaking slightly. Quietly, she said, "Remember, you are in a safe place, Severus. There is no way I can reach you from this side of the table and certainly no way you fit in that basin."
Severus nodded in agreement and with an audible breath in for courage, he placed his hands on the side of the basin.
Hermione continued her instructions, quietly and soothingly. "Okay, now turn your fingers inward, and let the touch them the water." She watched as Severus slowly lowered the tips of his fingers to the water. The surface of the water rippled slightly as the long fingers on both hands touched the water.
Severus looked up at Hermione. "How do you feel?" she asked.
"I am all right, I think."
"You're doing well," she said, smiling at him. "Okay, now hold your hands, palm side down, over the water and then when you're ready, lower them to the water, but don't submerge your hands yet."
Severus began to do as she suggested, but at the last moment, he pulled his hands back. "I can't, he said angrily. "I will not do this. Why am I letting you treat me this way?" he barked.
Hermione's eyes widened, but she bit her tongue so that she would not snap back at him. She knew this was not easy for him. She knew she would not get him over his aversion in one simple session.
"Do you want a break?"
"No," he mumbled.
"Would you rather I was doing something else while you tried this? Am I making you nervous?"
Severus looked at Hermione and was momentarily struck by the compassion in her eyes. He knew she never pitied him for all he had gone through and had been his most vocal advocate. In the three years of her apprenticeship, they had become friends, and although Severus might wish it turned into more, he would not hold her back. She was so young, and he was a broken, old and apparently smelly man. In that moment, he stiffened his spine and dug for the courage and bravery she told him he had. He would do this for her. With another deep breath, he said, "I think if you were to prepare some ingredients that would be helpful. I feel like you're just staring at me and yes, it is making me nervous."
"Oh, all right." Hermione scurried to the store cupboard and pulled out some violets she knew were in need of crushing. Violets were used in the soothing crème they used in the hospital wing for eczema. Snatching a mortar and pestle from the drawer beneath the prep table, she got to work. From the corner of her eye, she saw Severus lower his fingertips into the water.
She giggled silently when he wiggled his fingers in the water obviously being careful not to splash. Instead of hovering his hands over the water as she suggested, she watched as he slowly lowered his hands in, a bit at a time, until his hands were covered.
He looked at her, clearly unsure what to do next. Setting the pestle down, she asked, "How do you feel?"
"Okay, I think. This isn't bad."
Hermione made a sudden move and he flinched. "Don't come near me," he cried, pulling his hands out of the water.
"Severus! Please; I just had an itch on my leg I needed to scratch! I wasn't coming to you. It's all right."
He stared at her a moment.
"I am not your father, Severus. I look nothing like him! I am simply Hermione."
Head hanging down, he mumbled, "You are never 'simply Hermione', but you're right, you are not him." Gathering himself again, he started the process over and soon had his hands submerged in the water.
"Now, I want you to practice lifting your hands in and out of the water."
"Really?" he asked snidely.
"Well, if you think you're ready for a swim in the Prefect's bath, then go for it," she snipped back.
Grunting, he reluctantly did as she instructed. After a few minutes, she said conversationally, "Go ahead and get the flannel and soap. You've used flannels, cleaning potions accidents so you should have no trouble with that. Wet the flannel, rub on the soap on it, and wash your hands. Then rinse them in the water and dry them."
Because his hands were wet, he dropped the cake of soap into the water, causing it to splash. He leapt away in alarm.
"Would you like me to fish it out for you?"
"No, I think I can."
"It will likely fall again and splash into the water, but the water won't hurt you; it hasn't so far, has it?"
He sneered as he, without thought, plunged his hands into the water to get the soap, "You are really irritatingly bossy, do you know that? Must you treat me like a child?"
"You're right. I do sound like I am treating you like a child, but I only wanted you to feel safe and comfortable."
"I know, I know," he sighed, rubbing the soap on the flannel. He carefully set the soap down and wiped his hands with the flannel. Once he was done, he dropped the cloth on the table and carefully lowered his fingers into the water and then his entire hands. As the soaped sloughed off, his breathing rate increased as he could no longer clearly see his hands. He pulled them out quickly.
"Are you all right?"
"Yes. I couldn't see my hands, and I had a moment of panic."
"Are they still attached?" she teased.
"Oh, very funny." He picked up the towel and dried his hands. With a small smile of accomplishment, he smiled. "I've done it!"
Hermione smiled in return. "So you have. How do you feel? How do your hands feels?"
"Going to psychoanalyse me now?"
Hermione huffed. "No, but I was curious as to how you feel now."
"My hands feel strange...like I had layers of skin removed. It feels...nice. But it's only my hands, I don't know about the rest of this." He gestured over his body.
"Well, we have time. I am staying at the castle this summer...I'll have you swimming before September!" She smiled as she finished her proclamation.
"Gryffindors always did dream big," he sulked.
"Yes, we do! Now empty the basin."
"What?"
"Pretend you're pouring out a potion from a cauldron."
Severus picked up the basin and carefully carrying it over to the sink, slowly poured the water out.
"Now, let's go get a drink."
"Your quarters or mine?"
"How about mine for a change?" Hermione answered. "I've got nibbles, too."
"Very well, let's go."
By the end of the first week, Severus was very comfortable washing his hands and had even progressed to washing his arms up to his elbows. Although he and Hermione were friends, he was not about to disrobe in the lab in order to do his upper arms. They agreed to work on other areas first.
The students returned much too soon in Severus and Hermione's opinion. They had only progressed so far as his lower arms and face, and even then, he had moments of fear and refused to participate in his 'therapy'.
Hermione was unsure how to proceed further, but she was certain that he would not be amenable to wading in the mud puddles left by the rain that had been falling over the past few days. She giggled at the thought of a barefooted Severus splashing around in the water and mud. When she had suggested it, she was met with the most evil of glares.
The students return also meant the end to their using Severus' lab for their meetings. During term time, Severus would have office hours as well as detentions, and the seventh years usually had projects to monitor out of the usual class hours.
A thought occurred to Hermione as she contemplated their situation and how to continue in private. She remembered she had teased Severus about going for a swim in the Prefects' bathroom if he was so sure he was ready to 'jump right in', so to speak. Perhaps that was the answer? The Prefects' bath was equipped with not only a nearly Olympic sized pool, but showers and sinks. Yes, the perfect idea! Now to just talk him into it.